Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone walks on the sidelines during the second half of their 34-20 loss to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. / Winslow Townson, USA TODAY Sports

by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone had a cancerous mole removed from his skin, the team announced late Tuesday night.

Marrone said in a statement that the "extraction procedure" would not affect his ability to coach the team.

"During a recent doctor's visit, it was discovered that I had a cancerous mole on my skin, which has since been removed," Marrone's statement read. "The only follow up required is to have my moles checked every 3 months and that basically is the end of the story. The recent extraction procedure will have no effect on my ability to coach the team moving forward."

Still, the announcement likely comes as a shock for an organization and fan base that has endured more than its share of tragedy this year, as Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly is fighting his own battle against cancer, and team owner Ralph Wilson Jr. passed away late last month at age 95.

The announcement came several hours after the team pulled an incomplete story off its website that had been published with a headline of "Coach Marrone announces he has cancer."

Marrone met with reporters in Buffalo on Tuesday morning during a scheduled press conference coinciding with the start of the offseason program, but he made no mention of any illness.

Marrone, 49, is the latest NFL head coach to suffer a health scare. Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia early in the 2012 season and spent three months away from his team while undergoing treatment. He is currently in remission.

Denver Broncos head coach John Fox missed four weeks of last season after undergoing surgery to replace a valve in his heart in November, and former Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak suffered a mini-stroke during a game last year.

Other NFL coaches have coached while battling cancer.

Longtime Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, first treated for melanoma in 2001, died in 2009 after his cancer spread to his spine.